Rivals clash over safety of holy wall

Israeli experts and politicians are demanding that the Government should intervene to prevent part of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem from collapsing.

Their appeals follow archaeologists' reports about a continuing deterioration in the southern wall of the complex, which is holy to Muslims and Jews.

But Islamic officials in charge of the site, which they call Haram al-Sharif or Noble Sanctuary, denied there were problems with the wall. They believe Israel is attempting to extend its influence over the site.

Israel's Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, announced he would convene a committee of ministers to look into the danger of the wall collapsing. A UNESCO-related group involved in the preservation of antiquities has also reportedly offered to assess the damage.

The Mayor of Jerusalem, Ehud Olmert, called on the Government to take action to prevent what he called a potential "historical and human disaster".");document.write("

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The head of Israel's Antiquities Authority, Shuka Dorfman, earlier said that part of the southern wall was at risk of collapsing, and that efforts by the Waqf, or Muslim trust, that controls the area had failed to fix the problem. Mr Dorfman said members of the Waqf had refused to allow Israeli experts to visit the site to carry out tests.

The director of the Muslim trust, Adnan Husseini, denied that a bulge in the southern wall, which he said had existed for 30 years, had become worse or shifted. "It is stable. We don't feel there is any dangerous situation," he said.

Mr Sharon's visit to the area in September 2000, when he was opposition leader, helped trigger the violent clashes with Palestinians that have continued until now.

Israeli army and naval forces pushed up the Gaza Strip coast early yesterday, Reuters reported.

Palestinian witnesses said 11 tanks and armoured personnel carriers swept into the coastal village of Sheikh Iljeen, just south of Gaza City. Illuminated by flares, helicopters and boats fired at targets in the surf. An Israeli military source said the operation was the result of information that "terrorist munitions" were being smuggled by sea.